Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama Continue Competitive MVP Race

After the Spurs’ standout topped 40 points, the OKC Thunder star turned in his own spectacular performance.

Mar 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots as Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (5) defends during the second half at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are doing everything they can to fend off the San Antonio Spurs.

The reigning NBA champion is the league’s first team to reach 60 wins this year, but holds just a 2.5-game lead on the Spurs in the Western Conference standings. Both teams have performed well since the All-Star break, and have gone 9-1 over the last 10 games. 

San Antonio’s impressive stretch has been led by third-year phenom Victor Wembanyama, who has started to gain traction in the NBA’s MVP race as a result of his spectacular play and the Spurs’ success. 

Wembanyama explained his case for MVP after one of the Spurs’ recent contests, citing the team’s success against Oklahoma City and his prowess on defense as a few reasons he should take home the award this year. 

On Monday, March 30, Wembanyama made a case for the award with another remarkable performance on the court.

In a win against the Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio star tallied 41 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and a steal, shooting 17-of-27 from the field, 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. 

A few hours later, though, the reigning MVP delivered his own impressive outing. In a four-point overtime victory against the Detroit Pistons, Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 47 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 12-of-19 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 21-of-25 from the free throw line. 

In addition to his statistical output, Gilgeous-Alexander’s late-game heroics helped secure the win for Oklahoma City. SGA went 8-of-11 from the field in the second half and overtime, scoring 31 points. 

The rest of the Thunder’s roster went 11-for-30 from the field during that stretch, scoring 30 points. 

This continues an astounding season in clutch time for Gilgeous-Alexander, who hasn’t missed a shot from the field in the fourth quarter and overtime since March 17.

SGA’s big performance was crucial for his MVP chances, as Wembanyama has surged on betting markets in recent weeks. With a 41-point double-double on Monday, public perception could have easily shifted even further had Gilgeous-Alexander not delivered his own eye-popping stat line. 

Of course, one performance in late March doesn’t ultimately determine the MVP, but with the growing support for Wembanyama’s candidacy, Gilgeous-Alexander seemingly has to answer every significant Wembanyama outing with one of his own to maintain a grip on the award.